Kamis, 09 Desember 2010

The Best Business Concept

After reading a lot of business and self development books and articles of how  to be a successful entrepreneur, I often wonder about what kind of business concept that will really make a big hit in this competitive market nowadays.

Luckily, or maybe coincidentally, a few weeks ago I watched an interesting program in Metro TV about an international soccer tournament for children (age 10-12) called Danone Nations Cup 2010 held in South Africa, which my beloved country, Indonesia, also took part within. What made it very interesting was the main sponsor of this tournament, Danone. It was said in the program that the reason behind Danone sponsorship was to do part of its company's social responsibility. It has been in the company's mission to support the effort of creating prosperity to the world's economy.

Frank Riboud, the CEO of Danone that was interviewed by Desi Anwar of Metro TV in the program, firmly stated (from what I remember) that Danone is not merely a profit business company, it is a social business company that aims to create prosperity to its employees, consumers, and people worldwide through food business.


To add to that, Danone has been sponsoring this tournament for 10 years (started in 2000). Such a tournament must have cost a lot of money even for a giant group like Danone. By looking at this fact, the statement of social business company is not a  nonsense.

Besides the soccer tournament, in Indonesia, one of Danone group members, AQUA, launched its one for ten program in 2007 and 2009. One for ten is a mechanism of purchasing 1 L AQUA for 10 L clean water in areas who need it. Health education is another thing given in this program besides the clean water (http://www.aqua.com/kabaraqua/Program-Satu-untuk-Sepuluh-Kembali-Hadir).

The distinctive approach used by Danone, or we can call it the way of Danone, is quite impressive to ensure the long business life. Of all probability, a company who runs this kind of business model will attain great achievement from all people involved within.

In the beginning history of Islam, it is once said that Prophet Muhammad shalallahu 'alayhi wa sallam was a very successful entrepreneur with excellent moral. What does it mean? It simply explains that Prophet shalallahu 'alayhi wa sallam was able to obtain a high profit in business with his positive self values like honesty, trustworthy, dignity, and so forth (all Muslims know about his great personalities).

In Surah Al-Baqarah verse 261, Allah has stated, "The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed [of grain] which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing."

The verse above clearly describes that people will lose nothing if  they spend wealth in the way of Allah, which means to help the needy. As a matter of fact, Allah will multiply the wealth (given to the needy) 700 times. If Allah has promised the believers this, we have nothing to be feared, right? 

Therefore, a conclusion can be drawn now that the greatest business concept is the one which is done by people or entrepreneurs with good moral, and people with the good intention to service others who involved within or outside the business. It is called social business concept.

Perhaps, we can get more about social business concept from this book of Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize-winner.

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